Common antimicrobial chemical associated with skin problems in kids

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Children with twice the level of the antimicrobial chemical triclosan in their urine were 23% more likely to report eczema symptoms than those with lower concentrations, according to research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Triclosan was commonly found in antibacterial soaps and body washes before 2016, when the Food and Drug Administration restricted its use in consumer wash products after finding that it was no more effective than standard soap and water. However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, triclosan can still be found in some toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics and detergents.

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The recent study followed 347 mothers and their children from pregnancy through the children’s 12th birthdays. During that period, urinary triclosan concentrations in mother-child pairs were assessed through age 5, and then again at 8 and 12 years old. From ages 6 months to 12 years, caregivers (via survey) were asked about any allergy symptoms, including eczema, allergic rhinitis and wheezing.

Children with double the urinary triclosan levels were 12% more likely to show hay fever symptoms, such as sneezing or congestion.

In some cases, the child’s sex appeared to influence the risk. Among boys, each twofold increase in the level of triclosan found in the mother’s urine during pregnancy was associated with almost double (1.9 times) the child’s risk of reporting allergic rhinitis symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes, the researchers reported. For that same increase in urinary triclosan, the risk of a female child reporting allergic rhinitis symptoms was 9% lower.

The reason behind the triclosan-eczema association remained unclear. “One hypothesis we have is that triclosan kills off helpful bacteria that live on our skin and in our bodies that help us form healthy immune responses,” said Hannah Laue, the first author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences.

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